Ethereal Elements
by TheKeybladeForger
Summary: Aang and his friends, some time after they defeated the Fire Lord, decide to go on vacation. However they run into an unusual storm, where they are whisked away to another world. And they meet a culture very much unlike their own, yet strangely similar. But when faced with magic for the first time, it's up to a certain young Demon King and his friends to help them find a way home.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from Kyo Kara Maoh or Avatar the last air-bender. I'm simply a loyal fan to both.

I had this idea a long time ago about a crossover with Kyo Kara Maoh and Avatar the last air-bender. Originally, it began when I was talking to a friend and asked, "Who do you think would win in a fight? The Avatar, Aang? Or Yuri, the Demon King?" Of course, hands down, Aang would totally win. However, that's not the point. The point is, I'm in a rut with a few of my stories and so, after watching an episode of Avatar, I decided to set to work on this story. I think there was someone I wanted to dedicate this story to but with so much going on, I forgot who it was. But if you're a fan of mine, I'm sure you know who you are! I'll explain what's going on once I post the first chapter. For now, consider this a prelude to an entertaining tale of friendship, adventure, epic elemental battles, and two similar cultures learning from one another. I hope you enjoy!

**Note: **I'm not quite sure if the title fits so don't be shocked if it changes. I'll try to warn you beforehand if that happens though.

Prologue

There are times you stop to marvel at the world and its mystery.

The world, so full of wonder...and yet, it can also become deadly. Especially when we think we can conquer the earth when it, in fact, often conquers us...

The fresh air we breath turns into a swirling vortex. The clear water we drink drowns us. The gentle fire that warms us burns all in its path. And the land-the very earth we stand on-crushes us.

In a far away land, there is a vast culture comprised of four great nations. The Earth Kingdom, the Air Nomads, the Water Tribe, and the Fire Nation. Each land with those select people who possessed the ability to 'bend' the elements themselves. And each a unique society unto themselves.

Foolishly, one of the great nations had sought yet more power. The Fire Nation. Whose people were far more advanced in the ways of technical warfare. Their actions leading the once peaceful world to the brink of destruction by it's own hand.

Many stories of how the hundred year war ended still live on, but over time, the truth gets bended just as the elements of that land do. It is said that a single person, known simply as the 'Avatar' with the power to bend all four mighty elements, ended that war himself. With the help of friends and allies he made along his journey.

This is the untold tale of how this person along with his friends, stumbled upon a world where spirits of the land, sea, wind, and fire coexisted with this culture. A people who had so much more potential to use their powers then they realized.

These pages are about their unrecorded adventures in that world. Because the spirits act in mysterious ways and it is not always clear, even to the Avatar, why some things transpire. This is the only record surviving today of these events. It is doubtful that anyone will believe this record is a true account but it doesn't really matter.

So long as it's remembered...


	2. Chapter 1: Nostalgic Beginnings

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from Kyo Kara Maoh or Avatar the last air-bender. I'm simply a loyal fan to both.

Both Aang and Yuri in their respective worlds are going on a journey with their closest friends back to where their new destinies began. Back to the very beginning of a life changing experience that had changed them in turn forever. It begins with Aang telling his friends about his plans to seek out any air-benders that might be in hiding and teaching the world about the lost culture of his people. Which of course, they all support. However, they realize that now that the hundred year war with the Fire Nation is over, that Aang was bound to start feeling lonely again. Since he was still the last of his people to survive. As for Yuri, he's visiting the very same village he first arrived in while those who stayed behind at the castle prepare a special party just for their beloved King. Meanwhile, Conrad, Gunter, Wolfram, and Gwendal travel with Yuri to each of the locations they deemed safe to travel to and enjoy each others company. Both groups unaware of the events that were soon to take place that would bring about yet another change in these two people and those closest to them. Another adventure unlike anything any of them had been on before...

Chapter 1

It began on a day like any other. Aang and his closest friends were in Ba-Sing-Sei planning a trip to revisit some places from the beginning of their long journey. A journey that had lasted an entire year where friends were made, battles were fought, and they each grew as people in countless ways.

They were hoping to celebrate that by going on this trip together, on the anniversary of the day Aang first woke from the iceberg in the south pole.

Of course, even now, a certain member of their gang was somewhat reluctant to go. And he voiced his opinion, "I'm not really sure it's ok if I go with you." Zuko began, "There are a lot of people who are still angry about the things I did to them in the past. I don't know if I want people glaring at me like that."

"Aw come on!" Katara reasoned, "Everybody knows what you did to help us end the war so that should outweigh what happened before that. So stop being such a worry wort. You can just glare right back if that makes you feel better." she winked, clearly joking.

Zuko smiled, "Thanks."

"Hey guys, do we REALLY have to the south pole first?" Toph groaned, "It's all ice and I won't be able to feel anything but cold." she shuttered to put her point across.

"Well, it's the first spot on our list for places to visit. And don't worry, we won't be staying that long. Just for a day or so. Sokka and I wanted to check in with Gran Gran and see how our village has changed thanks to Paku and the benders from the north pole. We haven't been back since the war ended and it's about time we checked in."

"Yeah." Aang grinned, "I look forward to penguin sledding again. Remember that Katara?"

Katara laughed, "Yeah, it was the first time I had some real fun in years."

"So what? You didn't have fun hanging out with me?" Sokka pouted, "I thought we had a great time!"

Katara laughed, "Sure, if rescuing you from a bunch of angry tiger-seals is your idea of fun..."

They all laughed.

"Well whatever." Sokka shook it off, packing the last of his things, "I still can't wait to see everyone again."

"Same here." Aang smiled, "I can't believe it's been so long..." his eyes became distant, "...I wonder what I should do with myself now."

"What do you mean Aang?" Zuko asked after loading the last of his things in Appa's saddle. "Weren't you going to help me undo the damage that my father caused to the world?"

"Well yeah...but I mean after that." Aang said, "I was thinking about searching around for awhile to see if there are any air-benders still in hiding. I doubt there are but if nothing else, I'd like to help teach people about my culture that has been lost for the last hundred years. So I'm going to see if I can get help restoring the air-bender temples. Then I can, you know, honor my people that way by bringing them back to life in a manner of speaking. The world deserves to know who they were. And who I am besides just the Avatar."

"I think that's a great idea." Zuko smiled, putting a hand on his shoulder, "It might also help me as well. Because I wanted to correct somethings written in our history books. So if you ever need help, just let me know."

"Thanks Zuko." Aang turned to him smiling, "I'm really glad that in the end, that we became friends."

Zuko blushed slightly and bashfully turned away, "Yeah well...you have that effect on people."

"Aw...are you blushing?" Toph teased.

"N-no I'm not!" Zuko shouted.

"I can tell you're lying." Toph chimed playfully. And again, they all burst into laughter.

Afterwords, having packed all their things and making the final preparations, they loaded up and began their journey. Completely oblivious to the plans that the Universe had in store for their small band...

* * *

><p>In another far away land, a young King named Yuri and his own friends were preparing to do the same. To go visit some nostalgic places from the beginning of his reign as Demon King. Which of course began in a small village near the border that was inhabited by humans.<p>

This little venture was also a good coverup for what Yuri's friends were REALLY up to...

His close friends Conrad, Gunter, Wolfram, Gwendal, Murata and everyone in the castle, were preparing a surprise party just for Yuri. It was going to be huge so they needed to get Yuri out of the castle for a few days. There was no way they could hide something that huge from their now more attentive King.

Murata stayed behind to take care of some 'loose ends' in the Tomb of the Great One. But in reality, he was hard at work helping plan out the whole thing while the other's kept Yuri busy.

However, Yuri was also excited to visit all those places from earlier that same year. Although due to the time difference, Yuri hadn't noticed that a whole year had gone by in this world while only a few short months had passed on Earth. So in part, hiding their true motive for getting Yuri out of the castle was almost too easy.

When they finally got to the village, they were all happily greeted by the townsfolk. And amongst them were a few faces Yuri recognized immediately. Several of them were of the people Yuri met the first day he ever came to this world. Including the young woman that Yuri had startled when trying to return her fruit while he couldn't understand or speak the language, she had fled in fear.

The others were of the first small band of men who tried to stone him until Adelbert saved him. But now, they all smiled at him and bowed respectfully. In fact, they even apologized for their actions back then.

But Yuri, being Yuri, forgave them without a second thought.

"It's no big deal, really. That was so long ago. Besides, a lot of people used to think that way. I'm just glad we're all getting along so much better now." Yuri grinned brightly.

"Here, I thought you might like these Your Highness." the young lady smiled and offered him a basket.

Yuri's eyes brightened when he recognized the purple fruit, "These are the same kind as before!" then he chuckled, "You know, it's kind of funny..."

"What is Your Highness?" the young lady blinked in confusion.

Yuri laughed, "These actually became one of my favorite fruits after coming to this world. So thank you very much for these. I'm sure we'll enjoy them. Right guys?" he inclined his head back at his friends.

"I'm sure they were all carefully picked just for you Your Majesty." Conrad smiled, "I look forward to having one later."

"Well if he's having one, I guess I will too." Wolfram puffed, even though he didn't like that type of fruit as much. Wolfram was a pretty picky eater by nature.

"We can have them with our picnic later. But for now, lets put away our horses and tour the village. I'm sure there are lots of people who would like to greet His Highness. We must make time for them." Gwendal pointed out with a hint of a grin.

"Oh, to see who his people flock all around His Majesty, it's too wonderful for words!" Gunter beamed, "To think this is the same village that tried to stone him now reformed and greeting King Yuri so openly. It's truly a testament to his great impact on our nation and the world." he concluded humbly.

"Geez Gunter, it's not that big of a deal." Yuri said, before turning back and surveying the village, smiling, "I'm just amazed at how much things have changed. It feels like only yesterday that I woke up here and took on the role of Demon King. But most of all..." Yuri glanced back with a warm smile, "...I think you guys are the ones who changed the most. And me too."

* * *

><p>After finishing a mouthful of a sandwich, Yuri asked, "So let's see...we're going to Von-de-via island next right? Or am I missing something?"<p>

"No, you're completely correct Your Majesty." Gunter said, checking the list they had written. "Although, obviously, we won't be able to go to all these places in such a sort time. As well as a few countries who have not yet come to friendly terms with us as of yet. Such as Sevilara."

Yuri's eyes widened, "Oh yeah! That's where me and Gwendal got chained together and met Nicola. Then I got sent to that prison camp thing where we found the Demon Flute. Man, I thought we'd never get out of there. Luckily though, Ryan and Kaegi saved our hides by digging underground."

"Yes, I remember that too. We were worried at first that you two ran off together." Conrad joked. "Wolfram was beside himself with worry."

Wolfram decided surprisingly not to comment and ate in silence, just happy to listen as Yuri happily reminisced about their past adventures. However, he did add, "Yeah, well, Yuri DID end up messing things up in the end. Cause he's a wimp. If it wasn't for Gwendal, Yuri would have been in worse shape then he was and the damage could have been more severe..."

Yuri sighed in defeat, "You're never gonna stop calling me that are you?"

Wolfram met Yuri's gaze and shrugged, "I'll stop once you become a true King and stop acting to rashly. Admittedly, you are on the right track. But you still have a long way to go. So we're gonna shape you up good!" he grinned.

Gwendal cleared his throat, "In any case, if we want to make it to Mother's ship in time, we'll have to leave in the morning. I thought it best to go with her rather then taking one of the navy ships or public transport. There's still no telling what Big Shimaron is up to these days."

"That's news to me." Yuri blinked, "We're going with Lady Celli?"

Gunter nodded, "Yes, she's visiting one of her favorite hot springs there while we stay at an inn and enjoy the fire festival that you missed before." he smiled at Yuri, "I'm sure it will be a wonderful event."

Yuri nodded eagerly, "Yeah!"

That's when a group of kids came over and asked them to play some baseball with them. Which Yuri of course was all for. So they cleaned up their picnic and played a few rounds. Even Gwendal, Wolfram, and Gunter joined in their small game.

It was so much fun just hanging out with friends. Most of whom were once people that Yuri found unreasonable or rude. But now, they were all closer then ever. Nothing could possibly ruin this trip. Not when he had such good friends who had his back...

Or could it?


	3. Chapter 2: Investigations

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from Kyo Kara Maoh or Avatar the last air-bender. I'm simply a loyal fan to both.

Yuri and his friends head for Von-de-via island when, at the same time, Aang and the other run into a strange storm on their way to their own destination. They fight to get out of the storm but due to it's force they are soon rendered unconscious. All except for Appa, who manages to get them all to safety on a nearby island. Which so happens to be Von-de-via island in another world. Meanwhile, once Yuri spots the island, he points out the storm and the creature that flew out of it, which at the moment was too far to make out. So being the adventurous person he is, Yuri asks if it's ok to search the island for a bit to see what that creature was. Reasoning that it was better to check things out first before telling people it was a dangerous animal or a monster. They agree, if only to keep Yuri from running off on his own. Which Yuri was STILL prone to do. After waking up later on, Aang decides to see who lives here and find out where they are since Toph said that she felt people nearby. When Aang fly's off however, he is mistaken for a Bonie and shot at by a pair of Big Shimaron spies lying in wait for the Demon King. When they lose sight of it and ask Aang if he saw it, Aang can't understand a word they say and in turn, neither can they. So the two men lose interest in him and continue looking for the Bonie, which was in fact Aang on his current glider that had replaced his old one, one that, admittedly, DID look like a Fly Bone from a distance. Then, when Conrad and the others ask around about spotting an unusual beast, all they learn that is unusual is a bald forigner with tattos wandering around town trying to talk to people. Curious about it, Conrad asks to investigate for a bit. After they agree to meet back there in an hour, Conrad discovers the young man and is shocked that he recognized the language as one from Earth, Chinese. In that regard, Conrad is able to understand most of what Aang says and can even reply. So when Aang asks where they are, Conrad tells him that they're on Von-de-via island. Of course, Aang has never heard of it so he asks if it's near the Earth Kingdom, which confuses Conrad in turn. But with at least a location now, Aang takes out his glider, unaware that it's unusual for people to be able to fly because this was in fact another world, he says good bye and returns to tell his friends what he learned. Leaving Conrad stunned.

Chapter 2

"Your Majesty!" Lady Celli chimed, waving brightly from the ship, "Have you been enjoying yourself?" she asked happily.

Yuri shouted up at her, "Yeah, we're having a great time. Just hold on a sec and I'll tell you all about it!" he grinned at his friends and ran up the dock to board the ship. And when he got to the top, Celli gave him one of her huge smothering hugs. "Lady Celli, I can't breathe!" Yuri said, but his voice was muffled.

Luckily, Conrad rescued him and pulled Yuri back in order to greet his mother while Yuri caught his breath again, "Hello mother. Have your travels gone well?"

She smiled, "Oh yes. I was able to spend a lot of time with Fan Fan who agreed to met me at the springs. Which I personally booked for all of you as well. It's a great way to relax and explore-"

"Mother!" Wolfram blushed, "Please don't talk like that."

"Why not?" Celli asked, "I meant explore the different massages. Or were you thinking naughty things about His Highness?" she winked.

Gwendal cleared his throat and said, "Shouldn't we get going mother? We're on a bit of a schedule..." he hinted with a slight smirk.

Celli took the hint and winked, "Oh yes. We should get there right away. I'll bet Fan Fan is already there waiting for me." then she took Yuri and Wolfram by the arm and smiled brightly, "Shall we?"

Yuri laughed, "Some things will never change I guess..."

But how wrong Yuri was...

* * *

><p>"Ugh! Are we there yet?" Toph complained, "We've been flying for hours!"<p>

Aang glanced back at them, "It can't be far. We were going to stop in Omashu but I can't see through this fog. Katara, would you mind clearing it a bit? I want to check the map."

Katara nodded, "Ok. Just hang on a sec." Katara took a stance in the saddle and attempted to bend the water vapor in the air but for some reason, it wasn't working. "What the-?" frustrated, she tried again, but with no luck. "Aang, it's not working. Maybe this isn't fog. Try air-bending it."

Aang folded the map and put it in his robe before standing on Appa's head and attempting to bend the fog as well. Where he too discovered that it wasn't bending.

With that, Aang sat back down and took Appa's reins, "I think we better try to land. I'm going to fly us down and see if there's a place we can get out of this weird fog."

"Aw man. I have a bad feeling about this..." Sokka said fearfully, "This screams spirit world shenanigans..."

"Don't say that!" Zuko said sharply, "Knowing your luck Sokka, you'll jinx us."

Katara pointed in horror ahead of them, "Too late." and they followed her gaze.

When they exited the fog, they were in the eye of what looked like a storm cloud. However, there was lightning crisscrossing the sides of the black clouds. And the wind was howling and tugging at them from every angle. Which would suddenly change direction and blast Appa off course. There was no way this was a normal storm. But it wasn't a tornado either.

"Aang! Get us out of here!" Toph shouted above the wind, struggling not to barf with them getting tossed around like rag dolls.

Aang nodded mutely and yelled, "Yip Yip!" to Appa and attempted to fly up and out of the storm. However, a bolt of lighting came rushing at them. Luckily, Zuko spotted it and redirected it before it could make contact. But by so doing, he had let go of the saddle and the wind tossed him into the air violently.

Sokka managed to catch Zuko by the wrist while holding onto the saddle with his other hand. However, the force of the wind kept him from pulling Zuko back to safety. All Sokka could do was hold onto Zuko and make sure he wasn't caught in the fury of the storm.

That's when another huge gust of wind made Appa do a complete back-flip in the air and was blasted into the side of the clouds. Drenching them all on impact.

From the dizzying blur of black and white from the mixture of storm clouds and lightning, to the force of the wind blasting all around them, tossing them mercilessly, they were all rendered unconscious. Except for Appa, who fought the storm in order to get out and keep Aang and the other's safe. While Momo had long since hidden himself in one of the bags strapped to the saddle.

So clenching his teeth, Appa fought his way back to the center of the storm and bee-lined for the top. Dodging lightning all the way. The storm was so high that it became hard to breath and the water on his coat turned to frost. Like all the heat had been sucked out of the air. But finally, Appa made it to the top and immediately dove back down and away from the storm. Panting heavily and checking behind him to see if the storm was far enough away now.

However, even as Appa watched, the storm began to dissipate and the ocean beneath it settled. With that out of the way, he roared in an attempt to wake the other's. But to no avail. Therefore, even though Appa was exhausted from fighting the storm, he searched for land and spotted an island to his far right and flew towards it...

Unaware of the fact that they were no longer in their own world...

* * *

><p>"What is that? A storm?" Yuri asked when he spotted the huge tower of black clouds off in the distance.<p>

"That's strange...look at that." Wolfram pointed, "It's vanishing."

Transfixed, they watched as the dark plume of clouds in an otherwise clear blue sky suddenly vanished without a trace. Sending a small shock-wave as it did. They also spotted something fly out of the storm, but it was too far away to make out any details. However, they saw that whatever it was, it changed course and headed towards Von-de-via.

"That can't be good." Conrad noted, "It could be some sort of monster."

Gunter agreed, "Yes. Perhaps we should alert the locals before heading for the springs."

"What if it's not a monster though?" Yuri reasoned, "What if it's hurt? I think we should check it out first before assuming anything. I don't want people to panic for no reason."

Gwendal nodded, "That's very wise Your Highness. There's no need to alarm them without further evidence. So we'll investigate this while you and Wolfram go with mother to the springs."

Yuri pouted, "Aw, come on Gwendal. I want to come too. It'll be a great adventure just like the old days. And I promise to do as you say if things get to dangerous. So please? Can I come too?"

Conrad laughed and said to Gwendal, "It's hard to argue with that sort of logic. I say we let him. Otherwise, Yuri might pull another one of his disappearing acts and cause more trouble that way. Admittedly, he has been getting better at not doing that as often but still, I doubt he'll be able to sit tight while the rest of us are off on such an adventure. Don't you agree?"

Gwendal sighed, "I see your point. Alright, he can come. IF he promises to follow instructions." he turned to Yuri with a smile and a slight wink.

Yuri smiled broadly and promised, "I will! I promise!" his eyes glittered excitedly. After that, Yuri's sense of adventure made it impossible to keep him from pacing the ship restlessly while waiting to finally dock.

The idea of tracking down that creature made Yuri glow with anticipation. And when they finally docked, they began their trek into the forest after telling Lady Celli that they'd meet her at the inn. Yuri of course, leading the fray with his usual detective attitude. Searching around for any little sign of where that beast had gone.

* * *

><p>Zuko was the first one to wake after Appa had nuzzled him along with the rest of the gang, who were still out cold. His head was killing him but Zuko rubbed Appa's nose and looked around for the others. Which he was glad to find that they were all still together.<p>

Katara was on the ground too while Sokka, Toph, and Aang were still unconscious in the saddle. So after checking his friends for any wounds, Zuko lifted them each out of the saddle and lowered them to the ground one at a time. Leaning them against a nearby tree. Then he built a fire and made a makeshift rack to dry his cloths on. Zuko also attempted to wake the others again as well before turning to Appa and saying, "Could you keep an eye on them? I'm going to try and see where we are." And Appa nodded in response and laid down next to the others protectively.

Then Zuko climbed a tree and looked around.

They appeared to be on an island, because he could smell salt water and could see the ocean on the far side of them. Zuko also spotted a huge volcano which seemed to be the focal point of the entire island. But there was no way of telling where this island was. Because it wasn't long after they left Ba-Sing-Sei that they ran into that strange fog. Which reminded Zuko, he had just bended to make the fire, so why hadn't the fog bended? They couldn't be in the spirit world if their bending still worked.

So...then, where were they?

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before the other's finally woke up and Zuko told them what he knew so far about where they were. It was a relief that they weren't in the spirit world, but that storm was clearly their doing.<p>

"Before we do anything else, we should see if the island is inhabited. We might be able to get a hold of someone who knows where we are. Then after that-" Sokka began but Toph cut him off.

"It's all your fault you know. You jinxed us Sokka. Maybe we should have left you at home." she shook her head, "Besides, I know there are people here. I can feel the vibrations of people nearby. They're up closer to that volcano." Toph pointed.

"Ok, then I'll go take a look. Anyone want to come with me?" Aang asked. Then Momo flew out of his bag and flew onto his shoulder, and Aang smiled, "Don't worry you guys, I'm sure we're not that far off course. We can still make it to the south pole once we get some new supplies. It looks like most of our food got lost in that storm, but at least no one was hurt. So cheer up!" he twirled his staff and the wings extended, "I'll be back soon." then Aang and Momo flew off to find this inhabited area. But he was in for a nasty surprise...

* * *

><p>Aang spotted an inn down below and began to descend when an arrow whistled past his cheek and he veered to the side, "Ah!" he gasped.<p>

Because at the distance Aang was flying, some men mistook him for a Bonie and shot at him. Afraid that it was a spy looking for them. Because the men below were spies of Ranjeel's sent to capture the Demon King, who they heard was coming to this island. Therefore, when they saw Aang, they panicked.

So Aang tilted downwards and landed on the ground after dodging a volley of arrows. He patted Momo's head and asked, "You ok Momo?" and Momo purred but still had his ears folded down. Aang poised his staff when a pair of men entered the area.

"Darn, we lost it." One man snarled.

The second spotted Aang and asked, "Hey kid, did you see a Fly Bone Tribesman fly through here?"

But Aang just blinked, he didn't understand a word of what the man had said. So in an attempt to communicate, Aang tried communicating with gestures and telling them, "I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're saying. My friends and I were flying when we ran into a storm. Could you tell me where this is?"

Of course, the two men were in no mood for games and snarled, "Dumb foreigner, we don't have time for this. Come on lets go." he nodded to his companion and they both left. Which left Aang confused, "Why can't I understand their language? It's nothing I've ever heard before..." he looked up, "...What sort of place is this Momo?"

* * *

><p>Yuri and the others asked around to see if anyone had spotted anything unusual when a villager nodded, "Well, I did see this bald kid with arrow shaped tattoos on his head and some strange creature on his shoulder. He's been wandering around town but no one understands a word he says. I doubt that has anything to to with the thing you said you saw. But if you'd like, you can go check it out yourselves. As for me, I have work to do so excuse me." and the villager walked off.<p>

"A foreigner huh?" Yuri mused, "That's strange. But like he said, it probably has nothing to do with the creature we saw."

"Yeah, from the sound of it, we're the only ones who have seen it." Gunter mused.

"So what should we do now? Check the area we saw it land?" Wolfram asked.

Conrad nodded, "That seems like the best plan to me, however, I'm curious about this foreigner so if you don't mind, I'd like to investigate it."

"Well if you really want to Conrad..." Yuri said simply, "We'll meet up back here in maybe an hour or so. Is that ok with you Gwendal?" and Gwendal nodded. "Ok then. See you later, Conrad!" Yuri smiled and the rest of them left.

* * *

><p>When Conrad spotted the boy in question, he noticed that his clothing reminded him of a monk and made his way through the crowd towards him.<p>

Meanwhile, Aang was searching for someone, anyone, who could understand what he was asking. He thought, being the Avatar, maybe the universe would help him out a bit and help him find someone who he could talk to. Luckily for him, there was just such a person coming towards him.

During Conrad's stay on Earth, using a NASA brand translation sleep program, he knew several languages besides English. Which one of them so happened to be Chinese.

When Conrad was close enough to hear what Aang was asking people, right away, he recognized the language and could make out most of his words...

"Please...don't know where I am...Need supplies...Got lost in a storm..." those were the words that Conrad managed to pick out. Which was actually pretty good since he hadn't used the language once since learning them twenty years ago when he traveled to Earth with Yuri's soul. Since Conrad remembered most of the language, he approached the boy and attempted to speak to him.

"Hello, my name is Conrad Weller. Do you understand my words?" Conrad asked.

Aang was startled and spun around and Conrad noticed he was no older then thirteen and was all alone. Still, Aang was relieved that he understood Conrad and replied, "I do. And my name is Aang. My friends and I were on our way to the south pole when we ran into a storm. Could you tell me where we are?" however, all Conrad understood was, " ...my name is Aang. My friends and I...south pole...into storm...tell me where we are?"

Conrad tried to explain, "I'm sorry, I don't fully understand your language. But I can tell you that we are on Von-de-via island."

Aang blinked, "Von-de-via?" And Conrad nodded.

So Aang crossed his arms and asked, "I've never heard of that. Is that near the Earth Kingdom?"

That's when Conrad blinked in confusion as well, "Earth Kingdom?" but Conrad shook his head and dismissed it for now and asked, "Where are your friends now? Did you get separated from them?"

Aang shook his head, "No, I flew here to ask someone where we were."

"Flew? How?" Conrad asked, thinking that maybe the poor kid was confused.

"With air-bending of course. What else?" Aang said. Then he looked at the sky and said, "Uh oh, it's getting late. I better get back to the others. Thanks for the help." then, still thinking they were still in his own world and that this was completely normal, Aang opened the wings on his staff, surprising Conrad, and he flew off. Leaving Conrad is shock and everyone else who happened to see it.

Did that boy, just fly away?


	4. Chapter 3: Unexpected Encounters

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from Kyo Kara Maoh or Avatar the last air-bender. I'm simply a loyal fan to both.

**Note:**Sorry for the super belated update but hey, life happens, and writers get writers block; what can you do? Anyway, I diligently worked on this chapter for you and I hope you all enjoy this Chapter 3!

Chapter 3

"Aang's been gone awhile. I wonder if something's wrong?" Katara asked with concern, "Maybe one of us should have gone with him.

"Nah." Sokka said, waving his hand dismissively, "He's the Avatar, he'll be fine. Stop worrying."

"Sokka's right. Aang can take care of himself." Zuko agreed with a quick nod, "Let's just wait a little longer for him then we'll go look."

Just then, Toph's stomach grumbled and she complained, "I'm starving. Can't we check the bags to see if there's ANY food left?"

When Sokka's stomach did the same, he checked the bags but only found a few loafs of bread that belonged to Aang. Sokka frowned, "Darn vegetarian..." he grumbled before tearing the bread apart and handing it out. Setting some aside for Aang.

After they finished eating, the sun had nearly set when Toph shot up, "There's someone coming. At least four people in total."

"It's no big deal; you said there were people nearby. Maybe one of them is Aang who brought some people who know where we are." Sokka reasoned.

Toph shook her head, "No, it's not twinkle-toes, it's someone else."

"Then what do you think we should do? Hide? Or just wait and see if they-"

"Look! It's Aang!" Katara pointed up and they spotted him flying above.

When he landed, Aang sighed, "I'm sorry guys. I still don't know where we are. No one understood a thing I said except for this one guy. He was tall, had brown hair and eyes, and carried some sort of sword. Oh, and I was attacked too."

"Attacked? By who?" Sokka asked in alarm.

"I'm not sure. I was just flying and a bunch of arrows came at me; I dodged most of them," then Aang gestured at the cut on his cheek, "The first one nearly got me though."

"Here," Katara offered, bending some water from her water-skin and caressing his cheek with it. The scratch healed instantly. "There, all done."

"Thanks." Aang smiled.

Toph pushed between them and huffed, "Uh, hello? Didn't I just say that someone was coming? They might be the ones who attacked Aang. We better get ready for a fight."

Even as she said it, they started to hear voices just a few yards away-not that they understood any of it- and they quickly prepared themselves for a battle and faced the direction the voices were coming from. Sokka drew his sword, which they had recovered from the valley it had fallen into after they defeated the war balloons; Katara kept her bending water at the ready; Zuko drew his twin swords and ignited them both; and both Aang and Toph took an Earth-bending stance.

Prepared, they thought, for anything.

* * *

><p>"I saw smoke coming from this direction from where the beast landed. Perhaps they've seen it." Gunter offered, pointing out the pillar of smoke slowly rising from just a few yards away.<p>

"I don't see why anyone would camp way out here," Wolfram noted, "This side of the island is usually filled with bandits waiting in the trees. So stay close to me Yuri."

Yuri frowned, "Don't worry about me, I've got Morgif. I just hope the volcano doesn't start going nuts because he's here..." he glanced down at his sleeping sword, "...maybe I should have left him at home after all, but he kept pouting and grumbling so much that I had no choice. He would have moaned the entire time we were gone."

"Shh..." Gwendal hissed, "I can hear swords being drawn. Get ready." even as he said it, Gwendal began to slowly unsheathe his own blade as did Gunter and Wolfram.

"Hold on, we don't know if they're-!" Murata began when suddenly, a jet of flames shot into the sky and they heard a mighty roar that startled all the birds who raced from their perches to escape whatever made that cry.

The earth beneath their feet shook and they heard a loud crack as a stone was rent in two. They heard the clash of steel and strangely enough, the splash of water. Cries of battle could be heard until the beast bellowed again. This time, a blast of wind sent shock waves so large that before they could brace themselves, it knocked them all over, sprawling on the forest floor from the sheer force of it.

Afraid that someone was being attacked by whatever monster had uttered that cry, Yuri leapt to his feet and dashed towards the commotion. Heedless of his earlier promise not to rush into anything dangerous.

"Not again..." Wolfram frowned, "Yuri! Wait!" he shouted and followed after him along with Gunter and Gwendal.

As Yuri came closer to the source of the noise he thought with a wild grin, _Could it be a dragon? That could explain the flames. But then why would we hear water? There aren't any rivers near this area. Besides, what would a dragon be doing way out here outside of the safety of the Great Demon Kingdom?_

The instant Yuri and the others cleared the trees, what they saw was completely the opposite of what they were expecting. Of course, the first thing they noticed was the large six-legged beast with the face of a bison and the tail of a beaver. It roared at its attackers before flapping its large tail and blasting them with another huge gust of wind. The creature was about the size of an elephant and on its back rested a huge disk-like saddle and reigns tied around its thick dark horns.

Next, they saw a small black haired girl taking a fighting stance before a stone wrenched itself from the earth and hurled itself at a group of attackers; crushing one of their legs. Her short hair flew around her face as she twisted and hurled another rock before retreating behind a stone wall that formed from the ground as several of their attackers resorted to shooting balls of magic at the girl.

Besides her, there was another black-haired person who appeared to be a seventeen year old boy. His blades were wreathed in flames as he slashed at his enemies for a while. Soon though, he skillfully sheathed both blades and began a series of complex moves in which fire flared from his feet and fists; burning each of his enemies with their intense heat.

Then came a girl with dark brown hair that lashed out at her own foes with long snake-like tongues of water that whipped at them with strong and sharp snaps like a viper. Though she fought with water, there was an intense fire in her eyes as the young woman defeated enemy after enemy that stood against her. And those whom she had drenched in water then were pinned into place as the water crystallized into shells of thick ice around their limbs. The girl smirked as they fell over before turning to defeat her next opponent.

Following the example of the swordsmanship of his companion, another young man slashed and cut with swift strikes of his black sword. He parried, blocked, and defeated many foes using a style of swordsmanship they had never seen before. Each stroke flowed with his entire body; as if the blade were only an extension of his arm to stab and slice anyone who dared face the deadly limb. Though sometimes, the boy skipped away from an attack so that his opponent would stumble from the momentum of his own attack and fall face first into the dust.

Lastly, Yuri and the others noticed the young boy that the villager had mentioned before. He really was bald, just like some sort of a monk, and had a tattoo of a large blue arrow inked into his scalp; and from what they could tell, the same sort of tattoos extended across his arms as well. Unlike the others fighting, his style varied from attacking with his staff, to mirroring his other companions and using elemental attacks to aid him. Most of his attacks consisted of either blasting them with a gust of wind or shooting rocks at them with break-neck speed like a stone bullet. Sometimes though, he borrowed water from his companion using the water-based attacks and shot ice projectiles as well or shot a jet of flame from the palm of his hand.

Everyone was so shocked by all this that by the time the battle was over, the bandits or whomever they were retreated with their wounded and limped into the forest, out of sight. It all happened so fast that Yuri, Gwendal, Gunter, and Wolfram never had the chance to help them fend off their attackers. However, from the looks of it, they were perfectly capable of taking care of themselves.

But, just who in the world WERE they?

* * *

><p>"Darn it!" Toph exclaimed, "I was so focused on the people nearby that I didn't look out far enough to spot those jerks. UGH!"<p>

Katara put a hand on her shoulder after bending the water back into her water-skin and said, "Don't worry about it Toph. No one got hurt and we're all in one piece." she smiled.

Sokka though yelled, "Fine? How can we be fine! Those people attacked us with some sort of freaky energy that I've never seen before. It wasn't bending! It was like pure energy that hit me. At first I thought they were shooting lighting at us but the energy was too unfocused for it to be that. Just where the heck are we?"

"Calm Sokka, it's not over yet." Zuko said sharply, pointing at Yuri and the others standing at the edge of the clearing, "We've got more company."

Turning sharply, their group faced Yuri's group, preparing to fight again when-out of nowhere-Momo suddenly swooped down and perched on the shoulder of the boy with black hair and cloths and licked his face.

Giggling, Yuri pleaded, "Ah-no-stop! That tickles!"

They blinked in confusion because they couldn't understand what he just said but they relaxed and lowered their hands and weapons. Meanwhile, the other three did the same. Then Appa grunted and walked behind Aang and the others, watching Momo curiously as he continued to lick the strange boy.

"Who are they?" Sokka asked, eying their cloths, "And why are they dressed so funny?"

"I dunno," Aang replied, "But they don't seem to be with those other men, and Momo seems to like them so let's try and ask them." Then, bravely stepping forward towards the odd group, Aang gestured at himself and his friends in turn and listed off their names slowly; hoping that these people would understand him like the one guy from earlier had. "My name is Aang. This is Katara, Sokka, Toph, Zuko, Appa, and you've met Momo," he pointed that Momo who was still purring on Yuri's shoulder.

Yuri's eyes widened as he recognized the language Aang was speaking and turned sharply to his own three companions and exclaimed, "You guys, they're speaking in Chinese! A language from Earth!"

Gasping, Gunter asked, "Are you quite sure Your Highness?"

Yuri nodded, "I am." however he sighed heavily and grumbled, "Man...for now of all the times to not have Murata around really sucks. And we don't have any of Lady Anissina's devices with us either-!" then his eyes widened even more and he dared to ask, "Wait a second! Gunter, the last time you used her device didn't you memorize several of those languages by heart? When we got separated that time you ended up in New York you spoke perfect English right? You wouldn't happen to have learned Chinese by any chance have you?"

A bit startled himself, Gunter nodded, "Now that you mention it, I understood everything that boy just said to you Your Majesty." grinning he proclaimed, "Very well, I shall try now try my best communicate with them!"

Gunter then puffed his chest up proudly, eager to please his King, and strode over to Aang and the others. His eyes lingered on Aang for a moment, reminiscing his time in the clergy a long time ago in search of Yuri who had gone off with Gretta, Wolfram, and Conrad to Cildecroud's hot springs to heal from a twisted ankle.

After drawing a deep breath and reaching deep within himself for the needed words in the correct language, Gunter said in fluent Chinese, "My name is Lord Von Christ. And you are...Aang correct?"

With clear relief in his voice, Aang replied, "That's right! Wow, I'm so glad you can understand me. Now maybe we can get some answers. I met someone else earlier who sort of understood me but not enough to really communicate properly."

Nodding, Gunter then gestured at his own companions and introduced them to Aang and his friends, "Before we get into that, let me introduce to you King Yuri, the twenty seventh King of the Great Demon Kingdom. And next to His Majesty are Wolfram Von Bielefeld and Gwendal Von Voltaire."

Aang blinked and looked at Yuri curiously, repeating, "Demon King?"

"Indeed," Gunter nodded, "Now, I'm sure you would like to know what is going on as much as we do but first, I think we should find somewhere more private to talk. We have someone waiting for us at the inn and after that last attack, I'm sure you don't want to stay out here."

"What about Appa?" Aang asked seriously, "I think he's too big to go into town with us but I don't want him to get attacked either. Is there a cave or something he can hide in while we talk?"

Thinking back on Yuri's discovery of the Demon Sword, Morgif, Gunter smiled broadly and suggested, "We know of the perfect place for your...um..." however, Gunter was unsure of what to call Appa since he didn't exactly know what he actually was and was at a loss for words.

Realizing this, Aang explained, "He's my Sky Bison. Appa and I grew up together in the Southern Air Temple..." more quietly though, Aang whispered, "But you wouldn't know about that would you? Now I have a feeling that we were brought here by the spirits and they must have a job for me. So we need to know more about where we are and about those people who attacked us."

* * *

><p>As the rest of them traveled on foot, Appa flew above with Momo just above the tree line to avoid being seen or shot by more arrows. No one spoke because it became a pain for Gunter to translate everything for them. However, now that they were outside the heat of battle, new details about each of the strangers became more apparent to Yuri, Gwendal, and Wolfram.<p>

One of those things was that the smallest member of their group, Toph, was actually blind. The only thing that betrayed this though was her glazed eyes. Other than that, in some way that they were unaware of, she kept up with everyone just fine and no one in her group treated her any differently than someone with normal eyesight. Also, he feet were completely bare and she walked along the path heedless of the sharp rocks that could potentially cut them open. Toph seemed like the I-can-take-care-of-myself sort so no one in Yuri's group dared to treat her otherwise.

Then there was Sokka and Katara, whom they had learned from Gunter were brother and sister. Katara seemed to have an air of command around her to keep her older brother in check. While Sokka on the other hand, unexpectedly, was the strategist, as well as the comedian of their small band.

Behind them, the oldest member of their group, Zuko, kept a brisk pace from the rear and kept a close eye on Yuri and the rest of them in case this was all a trick. Gwendal could tell by his stature that Zuko had endured his own share of hardship and was used to fighting alone. The huge scar across his left eye was a testament of that struggle. He seemed used to having people betray him and so watched everything they did for signs of betrayal. Which Wolfram, likewise, did the very same.

And finally, there was Aang. Unlike the others, he seemed more aloft yet at the same time seemed to be contemplating why he and his friends were brought to this strange place and how they were going to get back home. He seemed used to bearing huge responsibility despite his youth and walked with confidence. At the same time though, Aang seemed more lighthearted and open with them then the other four were and was the only one who kept talking to Gunter after the others fell into an odd silence.

Yuri was curious about them as individuals but also marveled at their amazing skills that they had seen earlier. None of them had sensed any magic being used nor Esoteric skill other than what their attackers threw at Aang and his friends. And the way they used those elements, as if bending them to their will, was truly amazing.

_If only Conrad could have seen them in action! _Yuri grinned to himself, _I'm sure he__ would have been just as amazed as we were. _Crossing his arms though, Yuri pondered, _Gunter said that Aang had met __someone who sort of knew his language before. Could it have been Conrad? After all, he DID go to Earth when he was making sure I was born saf__ely. These people can't be from Earth though. No one there can use powers like those either and I for one have never seen or heard of a 'Sky Bison'. So does that mean...they're also from another world?_


	5. Chapter 4: Small Revelations

**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything from Kyo Kara Maoh or Avatar the last air-bender. I'm simply a loyal fan to both.

**Note: **Sorry for the exceedingly late update. There are several stories that I've been meaning to get back to but have been way too busy to re-read them all so I can find out where I left off. But, as a small tribute to the awesomeness that is _'The Legend of Korra'_ that just finished its glorious second season, I wanted to at least make a quick update for this while I'm trying to decide which story to update next and which ones I should go ahead and delete. Anyway, please enjoy this next chapter!

Chapter 4

At last, their unusual band reached the cavern and filed inside one by one while giving Appa a wide berth due to his enormous bulk. It took them awhile to convince Appa to go in but once they did, it was nearly impossible to see anything in front of his large form. Not only because he took up so much space, but because it was also growing steadily darker the further in they went.

That's when both Zuko and Aang created a fireball in their hands once they progressed deep enough into the caverns that hardly any natural light could reach. The two of them then took the lead along with Gunter, who was serving as their guide. Although the others still felt a bit awkward by being led by a bunch of strange kids they had just met. And even though they didn't seem much older than Yuri, it was obvious that they had experienced their share of hardship; though the same could be said about Yuri's group who likewise shared that same poise won only after facing many trials together...

"Dude..." Sokka whispered to his sister and pointed over his shoulder, "That blonde kid won't stop glaring at us. Then there's that grumpy-looking guy too. Are you sure that they're the good guys?"

Katara shook her head, "I don't know Sokka, but they're the only ones around here who have someone who can talk to us. I think that we've been blown into some isolated country that no one has ever been to before, not even us. And we won't be able to find our way out of here until we find out where we are exactly. Not to mention figure out if the spirits _are_ behind that strange storm that dragged us here."

"That's true but-" Sokka began when they stopped.

"This spot looks good," Zuko called back to the others, "Appa should be safe here while the rest of us go into town. And Aang has his Bison whistle in case we need him."

Toph nodded and pointed, "Yeah, and there's another exit right over there so if we need Appa he'll be able to find the way out on his own."

Aang rubbed Appa's nose and said, "Don't worry buddy, as soon as we know where we are, we'll come back for you and continue our journey, ok?" In response, Appa grunted before dropping down with a large thud and curling up despite his discomfort of being in this cave. His face almost frowning too at the indignity of being left behind, as usual.

"Gunter," Gwendal asked, "What did he say?"

"He told his erm...Sky Bison to stay here and the girl Toph said that there's another exit nearby," Gunter translated.

Gwendal nodded, "Alright," then, after exchanging a quick glance at Toph and Zuko added, "Actually, can you ask those two if they would be willing to wear cloaks? People are going to notice that their hair is black and not to mention that-" but the rest he left unsaid because it seemed pretty rude to ask Zuko to cover his scar when it was clear that he wasn't the type to hide who he was and what he had endured from others.

Gunter nodded and left to go ask when Katara stopped him with a sharp tug on his robes, "Wait a sec-"

"Yes? What is it?" Gunter asked mildly.

"Um, listen, I hate to ask but my brother was wondering..." she asked somewhat sheepishly, "...what's up with that blonde boy, Wolfram? He's been acting really weird around Sokka and snapping at him whenever he tries to talk with your King over there. Granted, Sokka can be pretty annoying-"

Looking over and seeing what she meant, Gunter laughed and explained, "Don't worry, Wolfram is always that way since he gets jealous easily of anyone who tries to get close with His Highness. It's something we're used to by now. Although I wish he would grow out of it. For goodness sake, Wolfram is nearly eighty-five years old now..."

Katara blinked, obviously confused, so she asked, "Hold on, _how_ old is Wolfram again...?"

Equally as confused, Gunter replied, "Eighty-five. Why?"

Snickering to hide her alarm, Katara laughed nervously, "Sure he is. I mean, Aang is only one-hundred and thirteen but he was frozen in an iceberg for a hundred years..."

Equally as puzzled, Gunter asked, "That can't be right. I'm well over a hundred and fifty and your companion hardly looks any older than a thirteen year old human."

"_'Human'_? What the heck are you talking about?" Sokka asked, walking over to them, "You say that almost like you're-"

"Well I'll be, there really is another exit over here," Gwendal mused, turning to call back to the others, "We can leave the caverns through here."

Toph snickered, "Well duh, you should have been able to figure that yourself ponytail," she said, knowing perfectly well that he wouldn't understand her but Toph could clearly sense that he was an Earth-bender. And wordlessly, they followed Gwendal and Toph as they led the way outside, blinking as they stepped out into the bright sunlight.

* * *

><p>"Looks like we're in the clear now," Conrad stated after closing the door behind them once they rented a room at the inn, "Now we can see to our unusual companions."<p>

Yuri nodded with a relieved sigh, "I'm just glad we didn't run into those psychos from earlier. Which reminds me, who do you think they were anyway?"

"Spies of King Ranjeel's no doubt," Gwendal frowned, crossing his arms, "He must of caught wind of our travels and sent spies looking for us rather than his usual soldiers. But they probably ran into these children instead of us."

Leaning closer to Aang while Yuri and his friends spoke amongst themselves, Zuko frowned and said grumpily, "This is very frustrating. I have no idea what anyone is saying besides that silver haired guy. So how are we supposed to talk to anyone besides him? I'm sure that eventually he's going to get tired of translating for us. Isn't there any Avatar powers or something you can use to help us?"

Aang rolled his eyes, "You _know_ being the Avatar doesn't work like that Zuko. But you have a point. One of my past lives might be able to help us. Although, I'd rather see what they know first before I try anything."

"Listen to this you guys-" Katara whispered in a hushed voice, "Before we left that cavern I was asking Gunter about that guy Wolfram and he said that he's eighty-five years old! Can you believe that?!"

"You serious?!" Sokka gaped.

"Yeah," Katara replied, looking over her shoulder at Wolfram, who shot them another heated glare before shouting something at Yuri again.

"Who cares about any of that?" Toph groaned, "You think it's frustrating to you Zuko that they're speaking in a funny language, but I'm blind remember? It's bad enough that I can't see anything in this stupid room because it's all wood, but even though my hearing is pretty much amazing, I'm in the dark here too."

Zuko winced apologetically, "Oh, right. Sorry about that Toph."

"Alright," Gunter called finally, striding across the room to where they all sat gathered on one of the beds, "After briefly discussing it with His Majesty, we all agreed that it would be best if we postponed our vacation and brought you home with us to the Great Demon Kingdom to confer with His Eminence. It would be inhumane of us to simply leave you here when you cannot speak our language, but we have a device back at the castle that can serve as a means of translation for all of you. Therefore, if its agreeable to the rest of you, we can prepare our ship for departure immediately..." pausing for a moment, he added, "...but before that, we're all curious about how you came to our land in the first place, and about those skills you all displayed while contending against those men from earlier."

"Oh, you mean _'Bending'_?" Sokka asked, absentmindedly scratching Momo behind the ears, "Man you people must _really_ live in an isolated country if you've never heard of it before. But I guess the language barrier could have told us that much. Of course, I'm not Bender myself but my sister and the rest of them are. Toph's an Earth-bender, my sister is a Water-bender, Zuko's a Fire-bender, and Aang, well, technically he's an Air-bender but he's also the Avatar so he can pretty much bend all four elements..."

"Unfortunately, I have no idea what you're talking about I'm afraid. It sounds fascinating though. However, if you don't mind I would like to give His Majesty an answer about whether you will accompany us back to our Kingdom so that we might be able to communicate properly. For now though, feel free to rest here for a while while you decide."

Aang nodded with a smile, "Thanks, we'll let you know what we decide."

* * *

><p>"I don't think we have any other choice really..." Toph shrugged, "We can't just fly aimlessly around until we find a familiar place. There's no way to know how far we'd have to travel or whether there would be any other islands to rest on along the way."<p>

Katara sighed, "As much as I hate to say it, Toph's right. We're out of options unless Aang can come up with something else to get us back home. Maybe one of his past lives could help us."

"I should probably give it a try. I just don't know if I feel comfortable meditating in front of these strangers. Especially that one guy-" he nodded in Yuri's general direction, "-I've felt something odd about him ever since we met, some sort of strange energy that almost feels like something from the spirit world..."

Zuko blinked, "Wait, you mean you think that he's the one who-"

Aang shook his head, "I don't think so, but I can't say for sure," he yawned, "Anyways, I don't know about you guys but I'm beat. We should rest while we can and give them our decision tomorrow."

"_Have_ we made a decision though?" Sokka asked seriously, "I'm not so sure that I trust these guys enough to just say _'ok, we'll go to your castle without really knowing anything about what's going on.'_ Seriously Aang, they could be hiding something from us and we're walking into their trap."

Katara snorted, "You need to lighten up Sokka. I don't see anything wrong with accepting their help. Besides, I'm curious about what they meant about being eighty-five to a hundred and fifty years old. They might have some sort of spiritual power that extends their lives and I for one would love to know their beauty secret. I mean they're all really handsome guys," seeing Aang frown when she said this Katara added hastily, "Relax Aang, I'm not into older guys."

"But I am older..." Aang pouted, "I may have been stuck in that iceberg but who knows how long my soul has been hanging around from all my previous lives. Heck, I don't even know when I first became the avatar; it's just always been that way as far as I know."

Smiling, Katara reasoned, "You may have an old soul, but at least you look as old as you should be. So don't worry about how old you were, just worry about how old you are, and that's only thirteen."

"Pft, enough lovey-dovey stuff," Zuko interrupted. "They're waiting for our answer."

"Right," Aang nodded after breaking eye contact with Katara and glancing back at Yuri and the others and calling, "Ok, we've made up our minds! We're going with you!"

* * *

><p>"Once we get to the castle, Lady Anissina has a device that will make it much easier for us to communicate with one another without having me translate for you," Gunter explained over dinner on everyone's behalf. "But until then, I would like to ask that both you and-Toph was it-to keep your hair hidden until we at least make it safely to the harbor since your coloring with attract unwanted attention. There's also a high possibility that the ones who attacked you before may try to strike at us again."<p>

Zuko nodded but crossed his arms and asked curiously, "I can understand why you're worried about those bandits, but what exactly does that have to do with our coloring again? Is it really _that_ unusual in this country?"

"Very much so," Conrad answered and had Gunter translate for him, "Double blacks are revered in our country because of the Great Wiseman who helped the founder of our nation, His Majesty the Great One, defeat the Originators that threatened to destroy the world four thousand years ago. So anyone who wears black or has black coloring is considered to either be of equal rank to a king or at the very least very rare individuals. Many myths surround them and the unique powers that they are believed to possess so there are still those who would pay handsomely for someone or something with black coloring, especially people like the ones who attacked you that were most likely after His Highness since he is our current King and one of the only three double blacks in the entire world. That's why out here, it's much more dangerous to walk out in the open for you right now."

Hearing that, Toph snickered, "So what if they've got issues with what color hair we have? If anyone tries to pull anything, I'll just kick their butts and send them packing just like we did last time. Just watch, if those bozo's come back, I'll teach them a lesson they'll never forget!"

"Calm down Toph, we don't want to make trouble for these guys do we? After all, they're all we have right now as far as who can help us find a way back home," Katara advised, although she sort of felt the same about not wanting them to have to sneak around just to get to their next destination. "So at least until Aang can figure out something let's just go along with them for now ok?"

Toph sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically, "Sure, whatever you say sugar-queen."

"Dang it, I can't eat with this crazy thing!" Sokka groaned and clumsily dropped his Spork with a clatter, "What the heck is it anyway?"

"It's a...spork I guess," Yuri answered with a nervous laugh and asked Gunter to relay his comment, "A cross between a fork and a spoon. Just, a word of advice though, if someone drops their knife-the sword looking utensil-whatever you do _don't_ pick it up."

Surprised by his grave expression, Aang asked, "Why? What does it mean?"

"That you have to duel the person who dropped it. Believe me, I wish I knew that before my first duel with Wolfram but its kinda a long story."

"Oh! A duel, let's hear it!" Sokka said eagerly, "Who'd you fight? Did you win? What weapons did you use?"

Katara chuckled and looked at Yuri as she said, "Here we go again. Looks like you got Sokka back in his old warrior-mode again. We grew up while everyone was still fighting the Fire Nation and after our dad left to go fight Sokka was put in charge of protecting our village. He took it very seriously and tried to learn everything he could about fighting techniques and what dad taught him about hunting and tracking and stuff. And don't even get me started on the crazy inventions he makes or thinks up. Sokka will probably talk your friend's ear off once we get to see those inventions that your friend was talking about."

When Gunter relayed the message, Yuri seemed confused, "Fire Nation? Where's that? I've never heard of a country like that before."

"What? That's crazy! How can you not know about the Fire Nation?" Sokka remarked, "We were only fighting them for over a hundred years until Aang finally kicked their butts! Where were you guys? Oh, and no offense Zuko," he added at the end.

Zuko rolled his eyes and groaned, "Are you ever going to stop doing that? Look, I'm totally fine with it. I know my nation did terrible things but that's all in the past and I am no longer bound by what my father did thanks to Aang. As the new Fire Lord I'm going to set our people straight again but if you think I'm going to be offended every time you talk about us then this is going to take forever."

"Fire Lord? Is that some sort of title for a King in your country?" Gunter asked curiously.

Turning to Gunter, Zuko shrugged, "I guess it is but I'm still finding it hard to believe that none of you know about the Fire Nation or the War when it's been going on for so long. Even if this is some far off country then surely you must at least know about Bending, but you don't and I'm beginning to think that there's more to the reason we were brought here than I thought…"


End file.
